Not-so-random thoughts and chiseled commentary about life, hockey and collecting autographs (primarily on pucks, sticks and memorabilia) for the pure fun of it, certainly not for profit, during the 2008-09 season. To follow the 2009-10 hockey-hounding campaign, please visit Hound Central 5.0.

Monday, December 22, 2008

The kitchen sink

When you score 83 autographs from a single team, it's a tad difficult to know where to begin. Do we play up the 33 cards that Colin and I were able to get? How about the dozen pucks? Then again, we can't forget about the Colorado team jersey or the most recent additions to the Slovakian and Team USA jerseys, can we?

No, I don't think so. What I am certain about, though, is that we had one of our best-ever hounding days -- in terms of quality and quantity, I'd say -- last Thursday when the Colorado Avalanche came to town.

And that, my friends, doesn't include the 20 autographs from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Oh, it's easy getting ramped up for Western Conference teams. We don't get to see them that often down here in Horrible Hockey Bay. That's why most everyone and their brother carried armfuls for the Avalanche. In our case, though, we had the proverbial "kitchen sink" for Colorado.

All in all, though, it was Colin's efforts with Avalanche cards, as well as the Colorado jersey, that set the foundation for a memorable day. All told, he got 60 autographs just from the Avalanche.

Those who signed cards were:

Top row, from left: Peter Budaj, Scott Hannah and Milan HejdukMiddle row: T.J. Hensick, Jordan Leopold and John-Michael LilesBottom row: Ryan Smyth, Paul Stastny and Wojtek WolskiBefore you think that we didn't get any pucks signed, let's let this quartet signed by T.J. Hensick, Ruslan Salei, Chris Stewart and former Bolt and Loaf Darcy Tucker serve as Exhibit A that, indeed, pucks were part of the haul. And, we can't forget about the pucks signed by Adam Foote, Andrew Raycroft(who signed the 1,700th of the collection), Ryan Smyth and Paul Stastny.